A review of the shooting death of a former Owen Sound man by Kamloops RCMP concludes that no charges should be laid against the officer who shot Wilbert Bartley.
The Criminal Justice Branch of the Ministry of Attorney General has just released the results of its review of an investigative report prepared by Calgary Police, in connection with the shooting death on July 30th, 2010.
The 50 year old Bartley was shot to death after his vehicle hit an unmarked police van in a parking lot in Kamloops.
Police say he rammed the police van with such force that it was lifted onto two wheels.
The suspect then put the vehicle in drive and raced toward one of the plain clothed Mounties who fired three shots thru the window of the SUV and one hit and killed Bartley.
An autopsy showed Bartley had consumed a number of drugs prior to the incident, namely, cocaine, methamphetamine, alcohol and marijuana.
After the incident, the RCMP called for an independent investigation by Calgary Police service, and that report then went to the Attorney Generals’ office in B.C.
In a news release — the Crown states there is insufficient evidence to establish that the officer was not lawfully defending himself and others from death or grievous bodily harm, or that his use of force was excessive in the circumstances.
